The Owton family have been farming on Chalcroft Farm for over 400 years with the earliest known records dating back to 1257. Rob Owton’s father traded cattle and wholesale meat to trade in the 1920’s. In the 1960’s Rob was faced with the difficult decision between farming and butchery. He chose to work with his father in his wholesale meat business as farming would have meant working 7 days a week.
Founded in 1976 at Chalcroft farm by Rob and Gill Owton, Owtons Traditional Family Butchers has established itself as one of the premier wholesale butchers and farm shop proprietors in the country, continuing to thrive with a passion for delivering best customer service, quality, knowledge and advice.
Rob worked at his father’s original shop in Southampton and when Reginald retired in 1976, Rob and his wife Gill founded the R.Owton wholesale business on their farm.
They started selling to butchers and restaurants but as word spread an increasing number of retails customers turned up at the 225-acre farm that today supplies 40% of Chalcroft’s beef.
The shop business has since expanded to add a further 4 farm shops at Kimbridge, Garsons, Country Market and the recently opened butchery and farm shop at Rosebourne near Andover.